World Population Review created a cost-of-living index using 100 as the baseline for the average cost of living in the U.S. A cost index above 100 is higher than the national average, meaning the higher the cost index, the more expensive it is to live in the state. Read more about the methodology here.
Salary information comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which updated wage and salary data for several dental specialties March 31 to reflect 2021 information.
Here are the most expensive states to live in and their cost indexes, according to World Population Review, along with their average annual salary for general dentists:
1. Hawaii
Cost index: 193.3
Average dentist salary: $177,820
2. New York
Cost index: 148.2
Average dentist salary: $170,800
3. California
Cost index: 142.2
Average dentist salary: $165,950
4. Massachusetts
Cost index: 135
Average dentist salary: $175,140
5. Oregon
Cost index: 130.1
Average dentist salary: $207,370
6. Alaska
Cost index: 127.1
Average dentist salary: $168,390
7. Maryland
Cost index: 124
Average dentist salary: $158,520
8. Connecticut
Cost index: 121.6
Average dentist salary: $197,910
9. Rhode Island
Cost index: 117.2
Average dentist salary: $206,600
10. Vermont
Cost index: 117
Average dentist salary: $190,030
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